GWR King Class Locomotive No.6023 'King Edward II' on the coaling plant at Didcot Railway Centre. 21 04 2019 pixlr
No. 6023 King Edward II was built in 1930 and worked for most of its life from Newton Abbot and Plymouth Laira Sheds although his last shed was Cardiff from where he was withdrawn in June 1962. A quirk of fate saved both No. 6023 and its classmate No. 6024 King Edward I. They had both been sent to Swindon to be cut up. However, the weight testing of a new bridge needed some heavy things to be put on it. We know where this is going, right? The locos were then far closer to Barry Scrapyard than they were to Swindon so it was easier to sell them to Mr Woodham to get rid of them.
At Barry, a derailment in the Yard caused the scrap men to cut up the rear wheels rather than spend time putting it back on the rails. This meant that until 1985, he was considered as a restoration ‘mission impossible’.
The GWS decided to return the locomotive to close to its original appearance look with a single chimney but retaining the 4 row superheater. In 1994, a new set of rear driving wheels were cast. 6023 finally moved under his own power again on 20th January 2011. It was originally intended for ‘KE II’ to run on the national network but the ability to reach wider and more diverse audiences and generate income more reliably by running on other heritage railways around the UK means this is the preferred avenue to secure the long-term future of the locomotive.
Credit: didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/product.php/78/going-loco
GWR King Class Locomotive No.6023 'King Edward II' on the coaling plant at Didcot Railway Centre. 21 04 2019 pixlr
No. 6023 King Edward II was built in 1930 and worked for most of its life from Newton Abbot and Plymouth Laira Sheds although his last shed was Cardiff from where he was withdrawn in June 1962. A quirk of fate saved both No. 6023 and its classmate No. 6024 King Edward I. They had both been sent to Swindon to be cut up. However, the weight testing of a new bridge needed some heavy things to be put on it. We know where this is going, right? The locos were then far closer to Barry Scrapyard than they were to Swindon so it was easier to sell them to Mr Woodham to get rid of them.
At Barry, a derailment in the Yard caused the scrap men to cut up the rear wheels rather than spend time putting it back on the rails. This meant that until 1985, he was considered as a restoration ‘mission impossible’.
The GWS decided to return the locomotive to close to its original appearance look with a single chimney but retaining the 4 row superheater. In 1994, a new set of rear driving wheels were cast. 6023 finally moved under his own power again on 20th January 2011. It was originally intended for ‘KE II’ to run on the national network but the ability to reach wider and more diverse audiences and generate income more reliably by running on other heritage railways around the UK means this is the preferred avenue to secure the long-term future of the locomotive.
Credit: didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/product.php/78/going-loco